Fever You Have Me Burning Up
by Mama Bear and Her Cubs
Summary: Betty has come down with the worst flu in her life. Veronica and Kevin have taken upon themselves on taking care of her. The high fevers soon take affect and Betty has to live through her worst nightmares not knowing what is real and what is fever driven.


**The AU over at the Riverdale Fanfiction Challenge Forum is Coffee Shop ... so here I go. My first ever coffee shop story in my life.**

 **I don't think I really wrote what the person whom offered up this AU challenge was expecting ... but I have decided to write a mult-chapter story. The Coffee Shop AU just started me off ... so I am able to post this over at the forum before the 8th (which is the due date) ... and continue this past that date.**

 **Fever You Got Me Burning Up**

 **Chapter One**

Betty sighed deeply as she dropped tiredly into the over stuffed chair. Her messenger bag hanging heavy against her tight and tired shoulder. The strap was pressed against the closed winter coat. She leaned her head against the back of the chair as she just took a few calming breathes. She felt the heat hitting her cold cheeks. She closed her eyes as she allowed the warmth of the room overcome her cold body. Even through her long winter coat managed to keep the coldest of the cold from hitting her body ... she still felt the cold. Must be because she was fast approaching a flu. A flu that she honesty had no time to deal with at the moment.

She wanted to whine. But she was in a very public place. Although in her tired state she could tell that it wasn't crowded. Not as crowded as normal. She was thankful that not many people were in the coffee house at this time. Perhaps she can honesty just relax with her coffee. She can perhaps try to quietly study as she tries to fight off the on coming headache. Well try to fight off the railroad that her headache had actually had become.

Her eyes drifted open as she heard a mug gently being set down in front of her. Her blue green eyes drifted from the mug with the slim hand holding the handle; up the thin wrist to the long sleeved black shirt up towards the gentle crave of a smooth chin. Up until they finally met concerned but soft chocolate brown eyes.

"Hey." Betty swallowed around the thickness in her throat.

"What are you doing out of bed Betty?" The brunette girl asked with a slight frown on her face. Her eyes showing how truly worried she was.

"I have a lot of things to finish Veronica." Betty sighed as she tugged her messenger bag from her side towards her lap. "My English lit paper is due in two days. My French and ..."

"We aren't in high school any longer." Veronica sat down in the chair across from Betty's. "Your professors would understand you being sick ... they know that you are ..."

Betty stubbornly shook her head. "I have to get these papers in on time Ronnie." She covered her mouth as a ragged cough made its way past her sour chest. "I can still get out of bed. That means I have the energy and strength to get to my classes; and to do all required assignments."

"You are going to make yourself so sick that you are going to end up in the hospital." Veronica softly raged. Deep worry over clouding her eyes. She shook her head. "You need to take care of yourself."

"I fully know what my body can take." Betty fought back folding her arms across her chest.

"No you don't." Veronica shook her head.

Betty desperately wanted to get her gloves off her hands; so she can clench her finger nails deep into the palms of her hands. But she promised this very same girl in front of her that she would fight that urge with a passion.

Veronica looked with compassion at the slightly older girl in front of her. A very unwell blonde in front of her. She knew that she was going to have a major fight on her hands on getting the blonde to bed; and to make the blonde remain there until she was fully recovered. She just had to chose her words with care. If she truly caused this very stubborn girl to stubborn up then she may have to have help on getting her out of the coffee house. Something that she didn't want to happen. "B. If this was me. You would be the first one to get me in bed. You would be taking care of me." She sighed deeply. "Let me take care of you." She softly pleaded.

Tears welled up in her eyes; "You don't think that I don't want to give in Veronica? You don't think that I don't know how truly sick I am." Betty eyes lowered onto the mug of coffee that was sitting on the table in front of her. A cup that she was too sore and tired to reach out for. "If this flu had hit me any other time then I would be the first one to admit it. I would be happy to remain in bed. Getting the rest that my body is crying out for." Her tired eyes lifted to met the soft eyes of Veronica. "But, you fully know that I just can't. Not right this second." She leaned forward as a rough coughing fit hit her.

Veronica quickly got up and moved over to kneel in front of the sick blonde. She wrapped her arms around Betty's body pulling her against her. She allowed her sick and miserable best friend to sag against her as her exhausted body fell limped against her. She eyed the concerned customers around her. She raised her eye brow to one of the workers behind the counter.

He quickly nodded and made his way over. "Let me help you."

"Thanks Kev." Veronica said in a low voice. Between the both of them they managed to get Betty safely into his arms. Kevin made sure to have his arm underneath her legs; and his other arm across her back. He followed Veronica as she made her way towards the door. He knew his boss understood that he would be back after he made sure Betty made it safely back to her dorm room.

"Another reason why I hate Alice Cooper." Veronica lowly growled as she pushed the door open. The cold New York winter hit them as they left the warmth of the coffee shop.

Kevin was relieved that there was a cab all ready pulled up. He watched as Veronica very quickly opened the back door. He gently got in keeping Betty safely against him as Veronica soon joined them. He felt the heat that was coming from his best friend's skin through the slight skin that was bare. How the hell did Betty manage to get herself out of bed; dressed; and out side with this fever of hers.

"She wasn't this hot this morning." Veronica frowned. "I knew that I should have forced her to remain in bed. But she stated that a 98.9 temperature wasn't reason enough to stay in bed." She pounded her right fist on her thigh. "Never again. Never again." She shook her head.

{*}{*}{*}{*}

Betty whimpers as she slowly awakens. She was in so much pain. It hurt to move her eyes inside her closed lids. She just wanted to go back to unconsciousness. She just wanted to go back to that place where she can't feel all the aches that her body was currently going through. She didn't want to feel the heat over rushing her entire body. Or the chills that were mere seconds behind. But she knew that she couldn't give into her body wants. She has to get up; get to classes. She had to study, study, study, study. She had to get the perfect grades. As always. She mewls softly as she wills her body to give her enough strength to open her eyes.

She doesn't know how many seconds passed until she came to realize that she was lying down. She wasn't in her bed. She didn't have her bed covers covering her. She took even longer to realize that she's in someone's arms. That someone was holding her closely against them. She stiffened in fright.

"I got you B." Veronica's soft voice entered her ear. She relaxed. Veronica had her. She was safe. She snuggled even closer against Veronica as her body begged her to give in and allow it to stop over working. She couldn't give in. Not yet. She had to open her eyes. She needed to see ...

Betty's glaze was blurry. But what her eyes did take in surprised her. She wasn't in Veronica's arms in their dorm room. Her thoughts remembered that she last saw Veronica that day at the coffee shop. But her eyes knew that they weren't in the coffee shop any longer. "Where are we?" She husked out. It hurt to talk. It hurt to swallow.

"We my dear are at the doctors. He checked you out. He gave us a prescription." Veronica spoke. She smiled a tired smile down at her.

Betty blinked. "I don't remember. Shouldn't I have been awake?" She was very confused.

"He managed to wake you up for a minute." Veronica nodded her head. "He said that you my dear are one sick young woman. He's surprised that you had lasted this long on your feet. He has ordered you complete bed rest for a week." She frowned. "He said that if you get out of bed when it doesn't require to use the bathroom or to clean yourself ... then you are going to be checked in at the hospital."

"I'm not that bad." Betty tried to pull away from Veronica.

Veronica tighten her hold; and gently pulled Betty back into her. "104.2 temperature speaks otherwise Betty. The only reason why he's not checking you in the hospital right now ... is that they are over run right now. There was four emergencies before we got here. I promised him that I would make sure you stayed in bed. That you would get all the rest that your body craves. That I know how to keep the temperature at bay. But if it rose any higher then I would get you back here." She sighed as she leaned back against the uncomfortable waiting room chair. "Kevin is getting the prescription filled."

"I'm sorry." Betty bowed her head. A lone tear rolled down her cheek.

Veronica turned her face to look down at her sick friend. Gently lifting the fallen chin upwards so she could look into feverish blue green shining eyes. "This isn't your fault Betty Cooper. None of this is your fault baby." She bent down to rest her forehead against Betty's heated one. "I'm going to help you realize that it's all right to give into your body wants and needs when you are sick. That way this situation won't happen again."

Betty tries to move away from Veronica. But Veronica just simply tightens her hold on the weakly struggling blonde. She kisses the heated forehead. "Hush now little one. Don't fight. You will just make sure that you will end up in a hallway waiting for a room. I'm sorry but I can't allow you to spend this flu being uncomfortable and not able to rest. Sides I want to get you to where you can get the peace and quite you need."

"The dorm is no better." Betty struggled out as her body slumped against Veronica's.

"I rented a small apartment." Veronica softly said.

"In twenty minutes since I was knocked out?" Betty surprised as she realizes how much connections Veronica Lodge honesty had in this world. Even without all her father's previous money before he went to jail.

Veronica rolled her eyes. "I'm good B. But I'm not that good. No I honesty went to rent the apartment this morning. After I realized your temperature had risen past 100 degrees this morning. I know how stubborn you are Betty. But I knew even you couldn't out run your body much longer ... and I was right." She frowned as she felt the heat coming off her best friend/ soulmates body. "Besides you were unconscious longer than twenty minutes."

Betty gently nuzzled into Veronica's neck. "I'm sorry that I scared you." She breathed through her nose as her eyes drifted close.

Veronica looked down and found Betty asleep. She kissed the hot forehead. She prayed that Kevin would be back soon with Betty's prescription. The sooner they left the hospital; the sooner they got to the apartment then the better. She wanted to get Betty in a warm bath. Get her cleaned; then get her into bed. She wanted to make sure Betty took the first dose; so she can finally start getting well.

"Sorry it took so long." Kevin handed the bag to Veronica.

"Be careful with her Kevin." Veronica warned him as Kevin wrapped his arms around Betty so he could carry her once more.

"I'll protect her with my life." Kevin swore with deep soulful eyes. Veronica silently nodded and led the way towards the exist.

{*}{*}{*}{*}

Kevin sighed deeply as he leaned back against the couch cushion. His cell up against his right ear. "It's much more seriously then I thought. I won't be back to finish my shift." He sighed deeply.

"Hey I understand. I knew that you weren't going to be coming back." Dylan's calm and understanding voice spoke. "I logged you out for the day. How is your friend?" He asked in a concern.

"We took her to the hospital. She is raging a 104.2 temperature." Kevin closed his tired eyes.

"What room is she in? I'll send some flowers." Dylan's comforting voice spoke.

"She's not in the hospital. There were four emergencies before we showed up. They are overrun. If Betty had to stay at the hospital; then she would have spent hours on end in the hallways. Barley anyone would be checking on her with her not officially checked in." Kevin sighed deeply.

"Take care of your friend Kev. Don't worry about your shifts." Dylan spoke.

Kevin sighed in relief. "Thanks."

"Now I don't want you getting sick also; Kevin. So take care of yourself." Dylan said in a slight warning voice.

"I will." Kevin promised. He would do his best to keep that promise. For himself and for Veronica. But he had a feeling that the flu may catch one or both of them. That's how flues work. But they may luck out and neither one of them even getting a hint of it.

"I'll keep you guys in my prayers." Dylan said his goodbyes.

Kevin tiredly brought his cell from his ear and tapped the end button. His head twisted towards where the hallway where the bedrooms were located. Veronica outdid herself. She managed to find a two bed/bath apartment. In a apartment building with a doorman. Veronica Lodge was good.

Veronica leaned tiredly against the wall. "She's finally asleep." A dark frown made itself known on her face. "I hate Alice Cooper to the deepest reaches of my soul." Her arms folded tightly against her chest. "If I could honesty make it happen then I would insure that Betty never sees that evil woman ever again."

"It would break Betty's heart if she couldn't see her mother." Kevin sighed deeply.

"There had to be one small moment in the womb that Betty felt her mother honesty loving her. I can't see that happening once Betty was out in this world." Veronica tears rolled down her eyes. "Alice is simply killing Betty. No matter how much distance Betty can finally have from that woman ... Alice is still trying to kill her."

Kevin couldn't deny anything that Veronica was saying.

"Betty honesty thinks that she has no right to stay in bed and be sick. That it's okay to give into her body needs when it is crying out for rest." Veronica quietly stormed out. "Betty would fall down dead if she was left alone." She shook her head. "I get that some people hate being sick ... that they fight their body sickness with every fiber in their bodies. But those same people do realize that they need rest ... and doctor's to mend. But Betty doesn't. Alice had made it impossible for Betty to give into her bodies needs."

"She has us now." Kevin kept his eyes locked on Veronica's. "She has us now."

Veronica took a few calming breathes. "She has us now." She agreed.

 **End Chapter One**


End file.
